Multi-plane and multi-mode visualization of an area of interest during aiming of an ultrasound probe

Abstract

A system may include an ultrasound probe and a controller unit configured to communicate with the ultrasound probe. The controller unit may be further configured to select an aiming mode for the ultrasound probe; select a first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode; select at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode; toggle between obtaining and displaying ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode; receive a selection of a three-dimensional (3D) scan mode; and perform a 3D scan using the ultrasound probe, in response to receiving the selection of the 3D scan mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method performed by a computing device, the method comprising:
 selecting, by the computing device, an aiming mode for an ultrasound probe, in response to a selection of the aiming mode made by a user; 
 selecting, by the computing device, a first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode; 
 selecting, by the computing device, at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode for the ultrasound probe, wherein the first scanning mode and the at least one additional scanning mode each specify a different number of aiming mode planes to scan, and wherein the first imaging mode and the at least one additional imaging mode each specify a different ultrasound imaging mode; 
 toggling, by the computing device, back and forth, or by rotating through, between obtaining and displaying, on a display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode using the ultrasound probe, wherein the toggling is performed until a three-dimensional (3D) scan mode is selected and is performed by:
 activating a single toggle switch or a single toggle selection object, or 
 automatically toggling at a particular interval or rate; 
 
 receiving, by the computing device, a selection of the 3D scan mode from the user; 
 performing a 3D scan using the ultrasound probe, in response to receiving the selection of the 3D scan mode; and 
 displaying one or more ultrasound images generated using the performed 3D scan, or a measurement value generated based on the performed 3D scan, on the display device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound probe includes a single element ultrasound transducer, a first motor to move the single element ultrasound transducer into different ultrasound imaging planes, and a second motor to move the single element ultrasound transducer along a sector of a particular ultrasound imaging plane. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound probe includes an array of ultrasound transducers and a motor to move the array of ultrasound transducers into different ultrasound imaging planes. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein toggling between obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode using the ultrasound probe includes:
 toggling between two orthogonal ultrasound imaging planes. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein toggling between obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with at the least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode using the ultrasound probe includes:
 sequentially rotating between at least three different ultrasound imaging planes. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein toggling between obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode using the ultrasound probe includes:
 displaying at least two ultrasound images simultaneously on a display associated with the computing device. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein toggling between obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode using the ultrasound probe includes:
 displaying a first image associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode; 
 detecting activation of the single toggle switch or the single toggle selection object; and 
 switching to displaying another image associated with another aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein toggling between obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode using the ultrasound probe includes:
 automatically toggling, at the particular rate, between a first image, associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode, and at least one other image, associated with at least one other aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein toggling between obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane using the ultrasound probe includes:
 controlling a motor to move a single element ultrasound transducer between different ultrasound imaging planes; or 
 controlling an array of ultrasound transducers to generate ultrasound images in different ultrasound imaging planes. 
 
     
     
       10. A system comprising:
 an ultrasound probe; and 
 a controller unit configured to:
 communicate with the ultrasound probe; 
 select an aiming mode for the ultrasound probe, in response to a user selection of the aiming mode made by a user;
 select a first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode for the ultrasound probe; 
 select at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode for the ultrasound probe, wherein the first scanning mode and the at least one additional scanning mode each specify a different number of aiming mode planes to scan, and wherein the first imaging mode and the at least one additional imaging mode each specify a different ultrasound imaging mode; 
 toggle back and forth, or by rotating through, between obtaining and displaying, on a display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode, wherein the toggling is performed until a three-dimensional (3D) scan mode is selected and is performed by:
 activating a single toggle switch or a single toggle selection object, or 
 automatically toggling at a particular interval or rate; 
 
 receive a selection of the 3D scan mode from the user; 
 perform a 3D scan using the ultrasound probe, in response to receiving the selection of the 3D scan mode; and 
 display one or more ultrasound images generated using the performed 3D scan, or a measurement value generated based on the performed 3D scan, on the display device. 
 
 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the ultrasound probe includes a single element ultrasound transducer, a first motor to move the single element ultrasound transducer into different ultrasound imaging planes, and a second motor to move the single element ultrasound transducer along a sector of a particular ultrasound imaging plane. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the ultrasound probe includes an array of ultrasound transducers and a motor to move the array of ultrasound transducers into different ultrasound imaging planes. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 10 , wherein, when toggling between obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode using the ultrasound probe, the controller unit is further configured to:
 toggle between two orthogonal ultrasound imaging planes. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 10 , wherein, when toggling between obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode using the ultrasound probe, the controller unit is further configured to:
 sequentially rotate between at least three different ultrasound imaging planes. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 10 , wherein, when toggling between obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode using the ultrasound probe, the controller unit is further configured to:
 display at least two ultrasound images simultaneously on a screen associated with the controller unit. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 10 , wherein, when toggling between obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode using the ultrasound probe, the controller unit is further configured to:
 display a first image associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode; 
 detect activation of the single toggle switch or the single toggle selection object; and 
 switch to displaying a second image associated with a second aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the ultrasound probe includes a single element ultrasound transducer, and wherein, when toggling between obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode using the ultrasound probe, the controller unit is further configured to:
 control a motor to move the single element ultrasound transducer between different ultrasound imaging planes. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the ultrasound probe includes an array of ultrasound transducers, and wherein, when toggling between obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode using the ultrasound probe, the controller unit is further configured to:
 control the array of ultrasound transducers to generate ultrasound images in different ultrasound imaging planes. 
 
     
     
       19. A device comprising:
 a memory storing instructions; and 
 a processor configured to execute the instructions to:
 select an aiming mode for an ultrasound probe, in response to a selection of the aiming mode made by a user; 
 select a first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode for the ultrasound probe; 
 select at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode for the ultrasound probe, wherein the first scanning mode and the at least one additional scanning mode each specify a different number of aiming mode planes to scan, and wherein the first imaging mode and the at least one additional imaging mode each specify a different ultrasound imaging mode; 
 toggle back and forth, or by rotating through, between obtaining and displaying, on a display device, ultrasound images associated with the first aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode and obtaining and displaying, on the display device, ultrasound images associated with the at least one additional aiming mode plane, scanning mode, or imaging mode using the ultrasound probe, wherein the toggling is performed until a three-dimensional (3D) scan mode is selected and is performed by:
 activating a single toggle switch or a single toggle selection object, or 
 automatically toggling at a particular interval or rate; 
 
 receive a selection of the 3D scan mode from the user; 
 perform a 3D scan using the ultrasound probe, in response to receiving the selection of the 3D scan mode; and 
 display one or more ultrasound images generated using the performed 3D scan, or a measurement value generated based on the performed 3D scan, on the display device. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The device of  claim 19 , wherein the ultrasound images include at least one of:
 B-mode ultrasound images; 
 Doppler ultrasound images; 
 P-mode ultrasound images; 
 segmentation map mode ultrasound images; 
 harmonic mode ultrasound images; or 
 M-mode ultrasound images.